Gifts gathered for missing boy's siblings

LEOMINSTER — Tears fill the eyes of Dalphane Almestica and Melissa Perez when they talk about the plight of Jeremiah Oliver of Fitchburg and his brother and sister.

Jeremiah, 5, has been missing since September, and last week his 9-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister were placed in protective custody of the state Department of Children and Families. Their mother, Elsa Oliver, and her boyfriend, Alberto Sierra Jr., are charged with child abuse. Neither has told police what happened to Jeremiah.

The two women, who are cousins, can only pray for Jeremiah while police continue to search for the boy, but they said they needed to do something to help his siblings. Monday morning, they were to take a box of gifts to the state Department of Children and Families to pass on to the two children as Christmas presents.

Also, local DJs are raising money to give the two children gifts. A benefit featuring the DJs will be held at Beemer's Restaurant and Pub, 114 River St., Fitchburg, from 8 p.m. Monday until 2 a.m.

Ms. Almestica said it is important to help the children who are in state custody as well as continue to support efforts to find Jeremiah.

"They have been affected by it as well," she said. "Their whole family was ripped apart."

Knowing the boy and girl would be away from home and family at Christmas, the two women took the initiative to start a gift collection for them. Ms. Perez said they are parents themselves and understand how difficult it is and will be for the two children.

"We have our children. They're home, they're safe and they're loved," she said. "That's not true of (the two Oliver children)."

The women did not just put out a box and ask for gifts. They contacted anyone they could think of to make sure they were doing everything legally and properly. They even called the governor's office.

Ms. Almestica said the Hannaford supermarket in Twin City Plaza immediately agreed to let them place a box near its registers for people to drop off gifts.

"We couldn't have done this without them," Ms. Perez said.

The box already had many gifts and was expected to remain in place until Monday morning. They said they believe there will be too many gifts to give to the children through the state. They plan to give what is left to the family of Jeremiah's father, so that when the children are reunited with them — and Jeremiah, if he is returned — they will have more toys to play with and clothing to wear.

The women said they worry about the children and the difficulties they will face in the future. They said they just want to give them a little sense of Christmas.

The fundraiser Monday night, called Operation Give Back, is being planned and promoted by DJs Ramsay Clayter and John Reilly Jr. Mr. Clayter said he and other Central Massachusetts DJs, including E Dubble of FM radio station JAM'N 94.5, heard about Jeremiah and the situation his brother and sister were in and they too wanted to do something.

"We said, 'We should get these kids an X-box for Christmas,' " Mr. Clayter said. "It sort of grew from there."

The event will feature some of the best DJs in Central Massachusetts. There will also be raffles of Bruins memorabilia, Bruins tickets and gift cards from local restaurants.

Mr. Clayter said the goal originally was to raise $500, but with the many people who have stepped forward to help, he said, the goal now is to raise twice that.

"It's all to help the kids," he said.

Contact George Barnes at george.barnes@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgebarnesTG